The Wonder of You
by Larxenethefirefly
Summary: It's been a month since Rose and the Doctor have been stranded on Earth, and both are feeling the burden of a linear lifestyle.


Has it really been two years since I updated this series on here? Wow.  
Beta by the amazing, wonderful, brilliant Silver :D

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His name was James Thomas Stone.

Rose met him shopping for supplies, and they got into a conversation over the merits of acoustic vs electric guitars when he heard her singing softly under her breath to the song playing on the radio. Rose was in favor of acoustic, since being a singer she didn't want to compete with the loud and jarring notes from the electric; James was a proud owner of his very own Fender, which he coveted like it was his own child. The debate kept up until they left the store, where he offered her a ride.

"Thanks, but I got my lift," she smiled, gesturing at where the Doctor was waiting in his beloved roadster, fiddling with some bit of technology.

He looked at where she gestured. "Spending the day with your grandfather?"

Rose laughed. "No, no, he's my friend. We work together."

"Ah." He shifted his weight, then said, "Look, a few friends and I are gonna be down at the pub this weekend, playing a gig. Want to come watch?"

Rose considered briefly. "Where and when?" "Eight o'clock Friday, at the Wolf and Storm."

"I'll see," she smiled. "Nice to meet you, James."

She loaded her groceries into the back of the roadster, hopping into the side seat. "Miss me?" she asked.

"I can survive thirty minutes without you," he replied, placing the object he was fiddling with down. It looked vaguely like a part from the TARDIS, but didn't have the distinct round bulge in its side like the other did.

Rose sighed and settled into the seat as he started the engine. "Remember Mirflax? Thrown in prison after five minutes."

"Well, a recorder isn't the grandest choice for an instrument, was it?" he replied.

"I liked it," she said, softly, trying not to sound confrontational.

It had been nearly a month since they had been stranded on Earth and, while the Doctor had fully recovered from his regeneration, he was taking his exile hard. Though he had joined forces with UNIT, Rose could tell he was suffocating slowly from being in one place for so long. He didn't mean to take it out on her, but sometimes his frustration needed to be let loose.

"What were you working on?" she asked, picking up the metal object.

"Hyphrasian anti-gravity ball," he said, perking up slightly. "It's used in a sport similar to football, but the players are encased in a crystal structure where gravity doesn't exist. The ball flies around and avoids the players based off specific programming, and whichever team catches it first wins."

"Sounds easy enough."

"The ball also shoots out fire if you get within two feet."

Rose hastily put it back where she got it.

They were in the process of singing a complicated duet from the sixty-third century when the Brigadier walked by, Liz Shaw in tow. "Are we interrupting?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"Shhh!" they both said, before singing the final crescendo. Rose laughed as his voice cracked slightly and he gave her a mock glare before stopping the music. "Yes?" he asked, crossing over to where Rose was sitting on the table beside his current project, legs swinging.

"Miss Shaw here is fully cleared of all prior engagements and ready to work full-time," the Brigadier said. "I do hope you get along as well as you have been."

"Thanks, Brig," Rose replied, and though the man frowned ever so slightly he nodded and left. Liz looked curiously at the complex wiring going on in front of her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Freeze ray," Rose replied.

The Doctor frowned. "Rose-"

"It's a freeze ray, Doctor, no matter what fancy name you give it," she replied firmly.

He sighed and asked her to hand him the spanner.

Since the Doctor and Rose seemed to have it well in hand, Liz pulled up a chair and listened to their banter, sometimes making a comment, but mostly just watching their interaction. She had really only accepted this job because she had been assured she'd be able to pursue her own research in her off time. It was looking more and more like 'off-time' was becoming 'all the time', especially when Rose was around. It was clear to anyone that looked that they had a special bond, and though they really didn't try to exclude others, it was something that didn't allow for extras. Though Rose regularly talked to her and they even went shopping together a few times, her world was wrapped up in the Doctor and he was as equally wrapped up in her. She felt almost envious of them. It wasn't easy to find the someone so in tune with you, but they made it look effortless.

Rose had wandered off to make tea some time later while Liz and the Doctor were talking about astronomy. As she waited for the water to boil, she thought about James's request. Should she go see him play? She had been ensconced at UNIT since they had arrived there. However, she missed Jamie and Zoe, and still regretted deeply that she couldn't remember her last moments with them. What had happened to them… she sighed. They were happy, according to the Doctor, but she missed gossiping with Zoe and singing with Jamie. She still hadn't perfected the dance he'd been trying to teach her.

The fact still remained, though, that she didn't have many friends outside of UNIT. Liz and the Brig were the few personnel who really talked to her for any length of time; the soldiers and desk clerks either had nothing to do with her because she was a woman, or didn't know how to treat her because she was, to them, an alien.

Rose sighed and started getting the cups. Being a social creature, she craved conversation and companionship, and though she was more than happy being with the Doctor, she needed a change of scenery. Perhaps going to see James' performance wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Tea!" she chirped, walking into the Doctor's lab with the tray. He and Liz were in an argument over the physics of travelling around a black hole, and Rose smiled. They would find their groove soon enough. "Milk and sugar, Liz?" she asked.

"Just milk," Liz replied. "And thank goodness you're here; perhaps you can tell the Doctor that the center of gravity of a black hole is so massive that if light can't escape it, he certainly can't!"

Rose shifted. "Sorry, gonna have to go with the Doctor on this one. We orbited a black hole once, and we're still here to tell the tale."

Liz frowned. "Well, we all don't have spaceships, do we?"

"Nor will you for hundreds of years yet," the Doctor interjected, accepting his cup from Rose. "Space shuttles are all well and good, but they're like a paper boat approaching a waterfall."

"Sounds like it's a pretty sturdy paper boat to have survived the rapids," Rose quipped.

The Doctor got back to work shortly after, Rose asking Liz about her research. Since the Doctor refused to tell her anything remotely ground-breaking because he didn't want to interfere with the timelines, she was using her own equipment and making little progress.

"You can set up some of your lab in here, you know," Rose said. "I'm sure the Doctor won't mind."

"I'll consider it," Liz replied.

They watched him tinkering for a bit before Rose spoke up again. "Hey, I've been invited to watch a band play at the pub this Friday. Want to join?"

"It's my mother's birthday," Liz said regretfully. "I promised to go visit her. Sure the Doctor wouldn't mind, though."

Rose wrinkled her nose. "Not really his scene."

"True. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"It's alright. I'm sure it'll be fun anyway."

Just then, the freeze ray caught on fire, and Rose rushed over to help, her conversation forgotten.

Even though the TARDIS was disabled, it was still liveable, and Rose slept in her own bed every night rather than the room UNIT had given her. She was grateful they were trying to be accommodating, but she didn't need a roommate and nothing was going to part her from the mattress she had gotten on Hurst. It was like sleeping on air.

She dressed carefully in a simple cotton dress and pulled up her hair with a was still confused by Earth fashion, but had deemed this her 'safe outfit', since nearly every era had some form of dresses. Since Plicea was more of a fan of practicality over flattery, jumpsuits were the default for everything. It had taken a bit of time to get used to skirts, but after she got used to all the extra fabric she grew to adore them.

"Going somewhere?" the Doctor asked when she finally stepped out of the TARDIS.

"Going down to the pub to watch a band," Rose replied. "Got invited when I went grocery shopping."

He nodded. "Yes, the guitarist; he called me your grandfather." He sniffed.

Rose hid a grin. "Aw, don't listen to him. You aren't that old." She playfully ruffled his hair. "Anyway, should be back around eleven. Don't wait up."

"Be safe," he said, seriously. Rose waved merrily at him as she left.

Those words had been a comfort; despite the change in mannerisms, he still protected her fiercely. She still missed her first Doctor, of course, but she had grown attached to this Doctor, as well. They still looked out for each other- he was still her home, and she was still his guiding light. They always caught the other when they fell.

The pub was bustling when she entered, and James's band was already set up. He and his band mates were clustered at a table talking, the remainder of a hearty meal scattered on the table. She waved as he spotted her and selected a table in the middle of the room.

A waitress came over, and Rose ordered a hamburger and a coke. Seconds later James plopped down across from her. "You came!" he said, smiling.

"Course," she said, smiling. "Had to finish our discussion, after all. Wouldn't do to think you've won."

He laughed. "I'll win you over yet." At a shout from a bandmate, he stood. "We're about to start, so I appreciate you coming up. Look, have a spot for a guest star later, so maybe you would like to sing with us?"

Rose, remembering her days as a lounge singer, smiled slightly. "I'd like that."

A band member drug him away and Rose sat back to enjoy the show.

They weren't half bad, but James was slightly off key and didn't really sing from his heart; it was a good performance, but it was evident that James wasn't truly passionate as a singer. He was a talented guitarist, though, his hands tripping over the strings with finesse.

"And now for our guest star, Rose Tyler!"

She blushed as a few people cheered and accepted James' help onto the stage. "Do you know 'Wonder of You'?" she asked. The others nodded and James did a few test chords before stepping aside.

The band nodded and she started singing, with only a few word adjustments. She had sang it with the Doctor not three days ago as Liz was fiddling with the radio and he had pulled her into an impromptu dance around the lab.

James joined her for the chorus, but his voice simply didn't mesh with hers the same way. Despite this, she put her heart and soul into the song, thinking of an alien with two hearts and a hand that fit perfectly in hers.

The applause was loud and Rose curtsied. James winked as she was handed down and, after a few more songs, they finished for the night. She joined them at the bar, asking about their previous performances, what their favorite songs were, how long each of them had been playing their respective instruments.

"We were school mates since primary," the drummer replied. "Decided to start a band, and well, here we are."

"Except Gary," the bass guitarist replied.

"Gary got married instead," James replied. "His new bride didn't think the life of a rockstar was a realistic goal, so she made him quit. He's a banker now. Saw him last night when making a deposit."

Rose laughed. "Way to rub it in, guys."

They talked some more before the other band members eventually drifted off. She and James remained at the bar, Rose nursing a Mary Pickford as he drank some of the local ale. They were resuming their debate when Rose looked at the clock and saw it was nearing midnight. "Oh no! I was supposed to be back an hour ago."

"I'll give you a ride," James said, evenly. "Most of the band's gone, anyway. Just let me grab my guitar."

He quickly grabbed his case and led her out the door to where a small red car was sitting. Since Rose had gotten a ride from a UNIT officer who was going to play cards, she hadn't been able to borrow the roadster (not that the Doctor would let her drive solo yet; she had barely missed a tree last time).

"It's not far," she replied when he asked her where she was staying. "Do you know where the UNIT headquarters are?"

His eyebrows rose. "You work for them?"

"Sorta. The Doctor's their Scientific Adviser, and I help him out."

"Impressive."

She smiled. "A bit, yeah."

The car ride passed in silence. Rose started to feel exhaustion pricking at her now that she was in a quieter environment. James concentrated on the road, only occasionally asking her where to turn. The radio was quietly playing the latest hits and Rose couldn't help but think that before, she would be curled up somewhere in the TARDIS with Jamie and Zoe, probably braiding Zoe's hair and telling stories about their respective time periods and planets. She had become a sort of older sister to Zoe, although her intellect far surpassed Rose's own.

Sometimes the Doctor joined them, other times he didn't. Rose always managed to track him down to say goodnight, though. Nowadays, he was always in the lab, working tirelessly to get the TARDIS flying again.

James pulled to a stop outside headquarters and helped her out of the car. "Thanks for coming, Rose. You're a beautiful singer."

"Thanks. I used to do it for a living, but…" she shrugged. "Things changed."

"You could always join us, you know. Become lead singer. You have talent, and the crowd loved you." His eyes were serious.

Rose smiled. "I appreciate the offer, James. But I can't."

James suddenly leaned forward and kissed her.

Rose hadn't been kissed many times in her life. Sure, she flirted, and was oftentimes more comfortable around males than females, but life-long commitment hadn't been her thing. And then she met the Doctor, and realized that her life was with him.

So when James kissed her, she didn't know how to respond, at first. Out of instinct she kissed back, but realized quickly what was happening and stepped away. "James…"

"Sorry. Can't convince you?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I…" She smiled slightly. "My life is with the Doctor."

He nodded. "I see. You'll be around?"

"Yeah." Rose highly doubted it.

She watched him drive off, then turned and headed into the compound with a sigh. The attending guard let her in with a smirk and a thumbs-up, but she ignored him and trooped to the Doctor's lab. It was a mistake, going to the pub. Now all she wanted was to curl up in a chair and fall asleep to the Doctor muttering and tinkering on some random bit of technology.

To her surprise, he was nowhere to be found. She poked her head into his favorite haunts on the TARDIS, but gave up after he remained elusive. She was tired anyway and didn't feel like playing a game of hide-and-seek.

"Have you seen the Doctor?" Rose asked Liz the next day as she emerged from the TARDIS.

The other woman nodded. "Yeah, and he seemed to be in a right mood. Try the Brig's office; he said something about talking to him."

Rose nodded and headed that way, dodging the bustle of officers. It would die down as the weekend came into full force, but last-minute tasks needed doing and everyone needed to make sure nothing would crop-up, emergency-wise. A few wished her good-morning, but most ignored her.

Finally reaching the Brigadier's office, she poked her head in. "Have you seen the Doctor?"

"Yes, you just missed him," he replied. "Did you two have an argument?"

Confused, she replied, "No, why?"

"Just that he was asking about career paths in UNIT for females of your age. I assumed he was talking about Miss Shaw at first, but when I mentioned her he said she wouldn't be staying long so there was no point. Then he said something about breakfast and left."

Rose narrowed her eyes. "Bloody coward," she grumbled, ignoring the Brigadier's startled expression. "Excuse me, sir, I have a Time Lord to knock some sense in to."

She found him in the mess hall, talking to a young private whose expression couldn't decide if it was horrified or intrigued. As she grew closer she realized he was relaying their experience on Balmoral which, until they'd arrived, had been a veritable bloodbath. He really needed a distraction if he was reliving that experience.

"We need to talk," she demanded as he took a breath. The private looked relieved.

He looked up at her. "I'm talking to Private Gregson here, Rose. It's rude to interrupt."

"And you can finish the story later. This is more important." On an afterthought she grabbed his tray and walked away with it. "And you can eat elsewhere too!" she called over her shoulder.

He followed her, though she could probably guess at his expression. Upon finding an office that looked empty, she walked through and placed the tray on the desk. The Doctor followed her in reluctantly.

"Care to tell me why the Brigadier was asked to recruit me?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Doesn't hurt to look into alternatives in case the TARDIS can't fly."

"We've only been here a month, Doctor," Rose retorted. "That's barely any time to give up."

He continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Besides, you seem to like Earth, so I thought you might get attached. In which case you'll need a job if you're going to stay here."

She stared at him in confusion, until the meaning finally dawned. "Attached to Earth… or attached to someone on Earth?"

"Either or." He avoided her look and fiddled with his tray.

"You saw me with James last night."

"What you do with that boy is hardly my business, Rose," he replied, and Rose knew she had him.

She sighed. "I've barely known him a week, Doctor, that's not enough time for me to fall in love with him. And if you had really stayed and listened you'd have heard me say no."

He finally looked up at her. "You're a beautiful young girl, Rose, with her whole life ahead of her. I can't offer you the stars anymore. Why shouldn't you say yes to that young man?"

Rose smiled and shook her head. "You're an idiot, you know that?" As he puffed up in annoyance, she took his hand in her own. "I said no because I wanna be with you, Doctor, stars or no. I'm never gonna leave you."

"Rose…"

"No, listen to me," she said, seriously. "I didn't come with you because you offered me all of time and space. Well… okay, maybe I did at first, but I stayed because of you. You're a mad, impossible alien who at age ten was probably smarter than I'll be at age sixty, but you're my best friend and I can't imagine life without you. And you will get the TARDIS working again and when you do, I'll be the first person through those blue doors.

"I'm gonna stay with you forever."

He was silent for a long time as they regarded each other, his eyes shuttered. "I'm far too old for you, Rose."

She smiled. "Well, mum used to say I could never be trusted around older men."

"Should I warn the Brigadier, then?"

She laughed. "Shut up and eat your food."

He squeezed her hand before letting go and grabbing the tray. "This best be moved to the lab. I'm close to developing a new type of shield that will boost the TARDIS's defense by thirty percent, and I hope to finish this afternoon."


End file.
